Mehran
Divanbaigyzand was born July 29, 1959 in Iran. He moved to the United
States and received his BS degree from the University of Southern California in
1981. Mehran now teaches math at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School
in Washington, D.C. Off the chessboard, Mehran is a political activist,
deeply concerned about the execution and torture of political prisoners in
Iran.

Mehran
was awarded the title of International Correspondence Chess Master at the ICCF
Congress in Antalya, Turkey last month. His norms came in the Friendship
of the Americas where he scored 9-5, exceeding the IM norm by a full point and
the ICCF Webserver Master Tournament where his 8-4 result (second to Thomas
Biedermann) fulfilled his final ICCM norm.

GAME
OF THE MONTH
Mehran
submitted this game as "the one that got away". Where, he wonders, did
White lose the win ? Interested readers are invited to submit analysis to
show where White might have won this game.

Quote: Correspondence chess
should be played for its own sake -- Purdy

Obituary:
John Hillery
John
Hillery, born August 3, 1952, died in 2010 after an illness of several
months. John was a longtime editor of The Chess Journalist and Rank
& File. John also served as Assistant Editor of Chess Life in
the early Nineties. He was a "Double Master" - holding the title both OTB
and CC. John placed seventh in the 2002 Golden Knights.

The
Albin Counter Gambit is known as an attacking weapon for Black. In the
following game John shows it is also one for White.

ALBIN
COUNTER GAMBIT (D09)

Richard
Labonte ICCM
Richard
Labonte of Canada also received the ICCM title in Antalya, Turkey this
year. Richard's latest achievement was a (probable - the tournament is
not yet over) second place, undefeated, finish in the 11th North
American Invitational Championship,

Richard
is also the author of the newly published Set Sail for Murder part of
the Polly Pepper mystery series under the pseudonym of R. T. Jordan.
Congratulations, Richard !

The
following game shows Labonte at his counterpunching best. When he finally
tames the c-Pawn, there are no more chances for White.

NEW
SIM TITLISTS
Congratulations
to Tom Biedermann, Keith Holzmueller and Kristo Miettinen who received their
Senior International Master title at the ICCF Congress in Turkey last
month.

This
trio of titlists play some mean chess as demonstrated below in their handling
of three Sveshnikov Sicilians.

SICILIAN
DEFENSE (B32)

SICILIAN
DEFENSE (33 )

SICILIAN
DEFENSE (B33)

GOLD
MEDALS FOR PAN AM TEAM
The
four members of our successful 9th PanAm Team were awarded gold
medals at the ICCF Congress in Turkey. The winners in board order are Ted
Brandhorst, Michael Millstone, Michael Proof, and Corky Schakel.
Congratulations to the team and its gold medal winners once again!SMACK
POSTAL
Michael
Ware of Shirley, MA suggests a correspondence chess contest of smack talk, also
known as trash talk, where the opponents insult each other move by move. The
idea is to throw your opponent off his game. Personally I do not think it
is a good idea, not when making strong on-the-board chess moves can accomplish
the same thing. And if you are losing, such insults have a very hollow
ring to them.

Maybe the words of W. P. Shipley should be
quoted here: "Then again, the pleasures of correspondence chess
are by no means confined to the mere analysis of the game; the side remarks of
his opponent are often most entertainment, and give a respite to the heavier
work". - W. P. ShipleyNO
POSTAL INCREASE
The
panel that oversees the US Post Office voted unanimously against the proposed
2011 postal increase. The Post Office lost 3.8 billion dollars last year,
mainly due to the 5.5 billion dollar a year health benefits payment.

The
Post Office has the option of a legal appeal or seeking a lesser increase than
the requested first class (and post cards!) two cent increase.

There
has been no announced decision about the possibility of eliminating Saturday
deliveries.

In
the following game Black learns that the punishment for stealing a Pawn in the opening
is to have a White Knight hop all over you.

PETROFF
DEFENSE (C42)

Hang
on! There is lots of excitement in this one.

ALEKHINE'S
DEFENSE (B02)

From the winner of Walter Muir 10W25 comes this
struggle.

KING'S KNIGHT OPENING (A04)

Newcomer
to the Absolutes, James Rhodes, shows he is well-seasoned.

KING'S
INDIAN DEFENSE (E67)

While White develops his pieces forward, Black
develops his backwards. The result is a foregone conclusion

MODERN
DEFENSE (B07)

White decided that the endgame battle against
the two connected passed queenside Pawns to come after 34...Rc2+ and
35...Rxa2 would be somewhat less than challenging.